BOOK REVIEWS
Erika Knight plays with dramatic stitch textures and shapes in her new collection of stunning knitwear designs
Our favourite knitting books
WITH HER
background in fine art and a long, distinguished career in knitwear design, Erika Knight has always enjoyed experimenting with textures and sculptural forms to create iconic knitted pieces. For her brand-new book, she has looked to the textures around her - in the city, the countryside, and along the coast - to create a collection of women’s knits which promote Erika’s cherished principles of craftsmanship and slow fashion.
It’s a beautifully produced hardback book, with gorgeous photography and 20 knitting patterns. The shapes are modern yet comfortable and wearable, and often feature playful, quirky details.
In the ‘City’ section, for example, there is a cardigan with asymmetric front pieces and subtle textures. Designs include a chic belted cardigan worked in a slip stitch brioche rib, a timeless aran-weight sweater, and a round-neck jumper using five complementary and contrasting textured stitches. ‘Ecotown’ is a vest top that plays with freeform knitting and unusual yarn combinations for an eclectic look - it would make an entertaining stashbuster project!
Fascinating textures abound in the ‘Country’ section. ‘Forage’ is a long wrap with four lace patterns that’s worked in a 4ply tweed yarn on large needles. Smart cables decorate ‘Coppice’, a seamless, silky sweater with a fold-over collar. Continuing her asymmetry theme, Erika has included a casual cabled sweater with a stepped front rib section.
The sleeveless ‘Rutt’ top cleverly plies together an array of different yarns to create a super-chunky fabric in stripes of texture and colour. For the ultimate in cosiness, there’s a voluminous coat, knitted edge-to-edge in a mock brioche rib which forms dramatic angles on the fabric.
The ‘Coast’ chapter is a mix of airy lace, gansey-inspired patterns, colourwork and cables. These include a wide-bodied lace sweater, and a sleeveless tunic which uses dropped stitches, ladders and cables for a deliberately ‘distressed’ look. Echoing this idea is ‘Saltation’, a cardigan with faded Fair Isle details designed to mimic antique textiles.
All the projects come in a wide range of sizes, typically up to a 58in bust.